In the mid 2000's I acquired an El Paso, TX based trucking operation and spent much of my time early on visiting and getting to know my new customers across the border in Juarez, Mexico. Juarez is fascinating, hustling, bustling border city, full of all of the good and bad elements that come with the US-Mexico border. One evening over dinner and drinks at Maria Chuchena's with a customer (highly recommended, and don't worry about the chalk body outlines on the sidewalk, the drug cartels only aim at rivals, are relatively good shots, and are otherwise generally nice people).... Read More

Do you worry about compliance with FMCSA regulations? We worry all the time about safety. Do you worry about the EEOC? Discrimination has been in the back of most peoples’ minds. We all believe in fairness. It shouldn’t be that big of an issue, right? After all, we treat people equally regardless of race, religion, national origin, gender and sexual preference. We don’t discriminate against people over 40 or the disabled. Most don’t purchase employer liability insurance. ... Read More

It's not the Sign On, Sign Off, Sign Here Bonus. It's not the referral and we will pay you in six months if he stays bonus. It is not the “we will pay if you can put up with us and last 90 days bonus” It’s not the bonus, nor money that makes people happy and content with their work, it's the personal relationships. ... Read More

The major economic announcement this week was that second quarter GDP increased at a mild 1.5% annual rate, down from a 2% annual growth rate in the first quarter of 2012. In the same report, the BEA announced that personal consumption expenditures also increased at an annual rate of 1.5%. Although these values indicate that conditions are worsening for trucking—but not alarmingly so—these growth rates do not capture the whole picture.... Read More

“For many carriers in the MCMIS data, the association between crash risk and the BASIC scores is so low as to be irrelevant...”

Consumer confidence is decreasing. The Index of Consumer Sentiment, as measured by Thomson Reuters and the University of Michigan, dropped to 72.0 in early July, down 1.6% from June for a second straight monthly decline.... Read More

Smartphones are extremely useful for Owner-Operators, who spend a lot of time on the road and away from an office. Your smartphone enables you to have access to a wide range of useful tools and information. Utilize these tools to make your life easier while on the go:

1. Access the Internet:
• Access your settlement information at your carrier’s website ... Read More

Last month the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published a proposal to mandate the installation of Electronic Stability Control (ESC) on large trucks. Based on research they've determined that such a system can be 28 to 36 percent effective in reducing rollovers and 14 percent effective in eliminating loss-of-control crashes. Those are pretty impressive numbers in what are usually costly crashes with a high potential for injury or death.... Read More

In 1998, I changed careers. I left the practice of law after many years and started a career in trucking. I was trained and experienced to “think like a lawyer.” It took a couple of years to temper that and learn to also think like a leader and businessman. Lawyers generally do not understand business. You see lawyers think differently than the rest of us. One can only acquire the ability to “think like a lawyer” by surviving three brutal years of law school and a tortuous bar examination. Practicing law develops this trait further.... Read More

Owner-Operators know that Preventative Maintenance (PM) on your truck pays off in the long run. Industry estimates say PM can cut your breakdown costs in half. Maintaining the health of your truck is important, but taking care of yourself is an invaluable part of being a successful Owner-Operator. ... Read More